The 1899 Emergence of Luger’s new design

Archives show that Luger presented two new pistols, which differed only in the length of their cannon – one was 120mm and the other 133mm long. Those same archives also revealed the weight specifications (respectively 77g and 90g). The firing tests were conducted with three guns: pistol 1 with ammunition A, pistol 2 and 3 with ammunition B. In conclusion, Luger came back to the pistols no. 6 and no. 7.

It may be possible to conjecture from the archives that one or two other backup pistols existed, although no data confirms this with absolute certainty. Anyway, it appears that a total of only 9 prototypes were built in 1898.

To this day, only two pieces appear to have survived. One model was traced which bears the number 10, used for ammunition tests in Thoune, Switzerland. This has the final security thumb safety lever, and is thus an 1899 model that was part of the 20-piece consignment ordered and delivered after the tests were performed, in October and November of 1899. The 1899 model Luger was protected by patent no. 21959, May 5th 1900.